Amusement apparatus



M. B. WILLIAMS.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 3'. 191a.

1,320,66Qu Patented Nov. 4, 1919.

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INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY purrsn staresreruns opin on MAY BROWN WILLIAMs, 0F DALLAS, TEXAS.

' AMUSEMENT APP RATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAY B. WILLIAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in .the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates. to new and useful improvements in an amusement apparatus, to be employed for assisting swimmers in learning to swim. a a v The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for the purpose specified which can be simply and easily constructed and easily erected at the usual places where bathing and swimming are practised.

l/Vith the above and'other objects in View, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1, is a side view of the device.

Fig. 2, is a plan view of the stand;

Fig. 3, is a fragmentary plan view.

Fig. 4, is a fragmentary vertical sectional View, and

Fig. 5, is a sectional view of the bar supports.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral 1, refers to a base structure, provided to support the apparatus, and having an upright or standard 2, usually consisting of a tubular pipe section within the upper end of which is fitted a gland 3, whose upper end is formed into an annular flange 4, which rests against the upper end of the standard. The numeral 5, designates a series of horizontally projecting arms, which are secured to a central bearing, 6. A spindle 7 is provided whose lower end is secured in the gland 3, and the bearing 6 operates on said spindle, and is secured thereon by means of the nut 8, which is threaded on to the upper end of the spindle. Antifriction ball bearings 9, 9, are interposed between the bearing 6, and the spindle 7, said bearings being of conventional form, and disposed at the upper and lower ends of the bearing in any approved manner, the construction described, permitting the arms 5 to rotate around the spindle 7. Secured to and depending from the free end of each Specification of Letters Patent. P t t d Nov. 4., 1919.

Application filed Setober 3, 19.18. Serial No. 256,773. I

arm is a rod '10, having the spaced bearing plates 11 and 12, fitted thereon, the former of which abuts against an annular shoulder 13, of the rod -10, formed by reducing said rod and the latter of which is secured on-the rod by means of the nut 14, which is threaded on the free end thereof. Rotatably mounted on said rod between said plates are the bar supports 15 and 16, said supports being provided with the usual anti-friction ball bearings 17 17 and 18, 18, and the latter support having a sleeve like lining 19, fitted on said rod. Secured to the ,bar supports 15 and 16, are the bars 20 and 21, the latter beingconsiderably longer than the former, said bars being rotatable independently of each other. From the outer ends of the bars 20 and 21, depend the cords or ropes 22 and 23. Each of these carries at its lower end, a belt or ring, or other suitable device 24, for supporting a swimmer, and adapted to be connected to his body. Belts or bands fitting the body beneath the shoulders are generally sufiicient.

The manner of using an apparatus embodying the matter described will be readily understood. The cords or ropes 22, 23, are suspended, so as to hold the belts or bands 24, near the surface of the water, and support the bodies ofthe wearers in such posi-' tion that they can freely move their limbs, as they are moved when swimming. The bars 20 and 21, are of such relative length that the swimmers will be far enough apart to move their limbs freely without striking each other. on its bearing, so that its free end will describe a much larger circle than that described by the free end of the shorter arm 21, the entire apparatus being thus designed to accommodate the movement of the swimmers simultaneously using the apparatus.

It will be seen that each suspending device 22, 28, rotates bodily around a vertical axis, which is fixed relative to the frame and at the same time, rotates around a common axis formed by the corresponding rod 10.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a support having a horizontally extending arm rotatable therearound, of a bearing rod depending from the free end of said arm, of independently rotatable bars mounted upon said rod and suspenders depending from the free end of each bar.

The longer bar 20 can rotate 2. In an apparatus for supporting swim mers, the combination With a support, of a plurality of horizontallyextending arms,

rotatable about 7 said support, a bearing member fixed to and depending from' the free end of each arm,- a pair of indepench fixed relative to each other andto said bearing, a depending bearing rod liked to! the free end of each a-rn'na pair of independ ently rotatable barshavingrevoluble bear-v ingson said rod, and a suspender depending from the free-end of'each'b'ar. 4-. In a device of the character. described, the combination w th a support Whose upper Qop ies o'f thisfipate'lit may be obtained for five cents each, byaddres'sing the Commissioner of fatentsf i 1 Washin ton; :0. 0."

end is formed into a spindle, of a bearing rotatable on the spindle, a plurality of arms betWen the rod and said bearings,anda sup porting means depending from the free end ofeacharrn. U i 1 In testimony whereof I; have jsigned my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnessesi,

Witnesses: V r y I C. P. CALDWELL, H. S. GIBBsg "fixed relative to each other and radiating YBnoWN WrL'LiAr-rs; 

